OUR CHRISTMAS ENGAGEMENT

by SARA BAUCOM
(RALEIGH NC)

Sara Remini-Baucom

OUR ENGAGEMENT: I first met Robby through mutual friends at an Italian Restaurant in Morrisville, we instantly felt sparks but were casual friends at first, which did not last long before we both knew we were kindred spirits and fell in love, Robby is not an overwhelmingly romantic or showy person, but he always says what he means and you can tell he means what he says, so our engagement was even more incredible! Christmas time was quickly approaching and we had decided we would spend it in Florida with his family. We arrived and everything was great, we were spending time with his family and our new Min Pin puppy we had adopted one month earlier who went with us on our family holiday. On Christmas Eve, we had dinner over at Robby's Grandparents home and opened gifts. His two younger siblings (twins) (18yearsold) left in a quick hurry after they tore through their gifts like a whirlwind and sped off for home. I thought this to be odd, and when I asked Robby's Mom why they had left so soon, she wouldn't really answer me, just quickly changed the subject. Left with no ride home since the twins had left us, we went home about an hour later with Robby's parents. Immediately when we got in the car, a cell phone started ringing and Robby's step dad answered and said only "The Chicken is in the coop" and hung up. Realizing I had only known this family a few months, I decided that they just might be a little "different" and I shook it off as nothing. Repeatedly on the way home Robby's Mom was pointing out to me what seemed like really trivial non-sensual things like "Look Sara there are people at Walgreen�s!" or, "look, a yellow car!" again, I shook it off laughing. The sun was just about setting when we began to pull into the drive and again, the cell phone was ringing, this time the greeting to the mysterious caller was "The Chicken IS IN the pot" no sooner did the car stop

that Robby was running for the house and he was quickly out of sight. I thought the twins were somehow getting in trouble and he was going to see what they were up to. Once inside with Robby's parents in tow, Robby�s step dad suggested we open up the bottle of my native Long Island Bordeaux I had brought and I instantly agreed! I was having a strange night!!! It was about 15 minutes later that Robby appeared and said: "Hey you want to walk down to the dock, get some air for a minute" I thought this was a great idea, so wine glass in hand in hand we descended down the lawn to the dock where we had previously done all of that fishing and jet skiing, I was happy to be back here. As we got closer and the sun dipped lower I saw something in the distance out on the pier, closer inspection revealed candles, lots of candles lining the entire path up the dock, I squinted my brow and looked closer to find rose petals strewn everywhere! They were even lapping up at the shore! I was breathless and by the time I could turn to Robby he was down on one knee, box open twinkling in the evening sun. I think I said yes AS he was asking the question! I was crying and laughing at the same time, I got down and pulled him up to me and felt him waving his right arm in the air, I said "whets going on?" and he said in a very loud voice: "there are supposed to be fire..." and as he said it, I heard rustling in the bushes behind us and then one after the next, fireworks flew through the evening sky, the whole family was in on the entire production from beginning to end!! and the twins had set off for home early so they could carefully orchestrate Robby�s plans. The rose petals were hand picked by the twins from their grandmothers rose garden!!!! It was the most memorable unbelievable day of my life!!!